Securing the Lodgment: AMC's Ability to Support a Strategic Brigade Airdrop

摘要

The purpose of this paper is to examine the Air Mobility Command's (AMC) ability to support a strategic brigade airdrop (SBA). A review of joint doctrine shows a continued reliance on the Airborne mission as a viable 'Forcible Entry' option, yet AMC faces many problems meeting the needs of the Airborne forces and SBA mission. The imminent retirement of the C-141 aircraft coupled with the significant airdrop limitations of the new C-17 aircraft have severely hampered AMC's ability to support the SBA mission. Using the principles of war as guidelines, I present two options that improve AMC's ability to effectively support Airborne forces. The first option maintains the traditional approach to delivering Airborne forces to their objective by employing the new C-130J-30 aircraft. The 'stretch' C-130J with the addition of an air refueling receptacle has the capability to deliver the Airborne forces to their destination more effectively than a C-17 fleet. Further, the addition of the C- 130J to AMC's airlift fleet allows more C-17 assets to support other concurrent operations. The second option discards the traditional delivery method and takes an 'out-of-the-box' approach to solving the strategic airdrop dilemma. This option involves dropping a platform from high altitude with the Airborne forces inside by using the Low-G Extraction Personnel Platform for Precision Air Drop (LEP3ArD). This system provides a reliable, safe, and cost effective way of delivering Airborne forces into the objective area. Further, unlike the traditional airdrop methods, the LEP3ArD system requires little trailing or coordination with airlift forces, dramatically increasing the flexibility of the Airborne forces.